Sing Me A Song
by TB80
Summary: AU. You know those songs that get stuck in your head? Well that's just your soulmate singing. Unfortunately for Maggie Sawyer, her soulmate has an affinity for Christmas songs.


Based on this prompt from Tumblr:

An AU where songs that are stuck in your head are songs their soulmates sings and Alex sings a lot of really bad Christmas songs and Maggie goes crazy during the holidays until she meets Alex?

* * *

Maggie Sawyer was lost in thought, sending the wall calendar a look filled with so much hatred that passers by decided to just avoid her desk altogether. Nothing they had to bring up with the petite detective was worth their life.

November 28th. She still had four more weeks to get through. Just 27 more days. She was a cop. She faced murderers and thieves on an almost daily basis. She had been shot. Twice. 27 days.

She wasn't sure she was strong enough to get through this. Not again.

It wasn't always this bad. No. Usually, the songs were the typical top forty pop hits. Not exactly her favorite genre of music, but she could handle it. The songs were catchy enough. But then, almost like clockwork, the day after Halloween, it started.

Overly cheerful, festive, insipid. Christmas songs.

Maggie had never had any great love for the holiday. It wasn't that she hated it per se, but she had just never really gotten into the whole holiday cheer that seemed to infect the rest of the people around her. Even if she had been so inclined, she was sure the incessant barrage of Christmas songs starting in early November and lasting until a few days past Christmas, would have killed any vestiges.

27 more days. She could do this. She had made detective by the time she was 28. She had once chased a perp for six blocks with a knife sticking out of the back of her shoulder.

 _Rudolph the red nosed reindeer,  
_ _had a very shiny nose,  
and if you ever saw it,  
you would even say it glows._

Maggie banged her head down onto her desk. It was too early for this shit. She hadn't even had her coffee yet.

"Having a rough morning Sawyer?" her partner Mike teased as he passed by and settled behind the desk across from her.

"Screw you Matthews," Maggie mumbled, face still buried in her desk.

"Oh, c'mon, it's only another," he glanced at the wall calendar and snickered, " 27 days."

"I never should have told you," Maggie muttered, raising her head to glare at her partner.

Mike laughed. "It was either tell me, or have you submitted to the department psych for evaluation."

"I should have taken my chances with the shrink," Maggie insisted stubbornly. "It couldn't have been worse than your constant harassment."

"You were walking around muttering that you were a cop, and as cop, you knew where to hide the body, and that that fat, red suited bastard better watch out." Mike snapped his fingers. "Oh and that you had grown up in Nebraska, and knew how to hunt and gut a deer. So his little red nosed pal better watch his back too."

Maggie crossed her arms over her chest and frowned at her partner. "You don't know how bad it is! What kind of sicko starts singing Christmas songs on November 1st!" Maggie whined.

"The type of person you were fated to be with apparently," Mike laughed.

"They don't even have the decency to sing them at a humane hour. Do you know what it's like to be woken up in the middle of the night to Christmas music? It's not fun Matthews." Maggie pulled at her hair. "I feel like I'm losing my mind. Which, I suppose is good since my other half is clearly deranged. At least we'll have that in common."

"Is that any way to talk about your soulmate Sawyer?" Mike tilted his head and smiled wistfully. "I can picture it and the Mrs. hanging up Christmas lights, decorating the yard with those inflatable snowmen and Santas, while sipping eggnog and singing carols, in your matching Christmas sweaters….in July."

Maggie banged her head back on the desk. "The universe fucking hates me."

Mike pushed up from his desk and walked around to pat Maggie on the back. She couldn't tell if the gesture was meant to be consoling, or patronizing; knowing Mike, probably the latter. "C'mon. I didn't get a chance to get coffee yet, and there is a place I have heard about and been wanting to try. It's on the way to that interview we have to do on the west side. I'll even pay."

Maggie shrugged into her leather jacket and eyed her partner suspiciously; Mike never offered to pay.

* * *

"I need coffee Matthews, and we have passed like five coffee shops. What is supposed to be so amazing about this place that you are keeping me waiting?" Maggie grumbled.

"Don't be so impatient, Sawyer. It's only like the next block over."

"Well it had better be worth the wait."

 _Jingle, jingle, jingle  
_ _You will hear my sleigh bells ring  
_ _I am old Kris Kringle  
_ _I'm the King of Jingling_

"I really need my coffee," Maggie gritted out.

"Well unfortunately the Captain would not approve of us running lights and sirens just so you can get your caffeine fix. He was really pissed last time." Mike shook his head, he still didn't understand what the big deal was. "Although maybe he would make an exception given your delicate mental state."

"Laugh it up Matthews," Maggie grunted. "One of these days I am going to find out the musical predilections of your soulmate, and when I do, you will rue the day."

"Never gonna happen Mags. I know what a vindictive streak you have."

Maggie eyed her partner thoughtfully, and tilted her head to one side; thinking. "That means it's something that you don't like." Maggie tapped her finger to her lips. "I will figure this out one of these days Matthews. You're slipping and I'm a detective, I detect."

"In your dreams Sawyer."

"Enjoy the peace while you can Matthews, your day will come," Maggie threatened. Mike finally pulled the car to a stop and parked it. "Thank god," Maggie grumbled. "If I had to hear one more refrain of Jingle Jingle Jingle without coffee I wouldn't be responsible for my actions. King of Jingling my ass. I hope you die in a chimney fire Kringle."

"Such animosity," Mike tsked softly. "You should really think about talking to someone."

"No. What I need to do is finally locate my soulmate so I can buy the girl a premium Spotify subscription," Maggie groused. "November 1st Mike! Two solid months of Christmas songs. You would be ready to start picking elves off with a sniper rifle too."

Mike tilted his head thoughtfully. "Are there actually songs about elves?"

"Yes Mike, yes there are." Maggie deadpanned. Maggie shoved her partner to the side when they got to the door of the shop. She grinned in satisfaction when she heard him collide with the sandwich board in front of the shop and let out a yelp of pain. Served him right.

The grin slid off her face the minute she stepped into the shop. "Oh for fucks sake…" Mike stepped into the shop and clapped her on the shoulder. A far too smug grin gracing his features.

"Problem Mags?"

"No," she ground out between gritted teeth. If she wasn't so desperate for her daily coffee infusion she would be half tempted to turn around and walk back out. She stepped towards the counter, relieved to see there was only one person in line in front of her. She darted her eyes surreptitiously around the shop and cringed internally. She was going to kill Mike.

"So what do you think of the place Maggie?" Mike asked, poorly concealing his amusement.

Maggie turned back to face her partner. "Well Mike, it kinda looks like Christmas threw up all over the place. I swear to god, if I can only get some kind of Christmas themed coffee I'm going to take you out into the alley and shoot you."

Maggie turned to face forward again, only to find herself staring into a set of amused hazel eyes. Or maybe they were brown? No, definitely hazel, just dark, Maggie decided finally. The redhead, though really it was more auburn, pursed her lips and rose one eyebrow challengingly. "I take it you aren't a fan of the holiday," the eyes flashed to her belt, before rising quickly to meet hers again, "officer?"

"Detective," Maggie corrected automatically. Only years of training kept her from flushing like an embarrassed school girl. There was something about the other woman that Maggie found instantly captivating.

"Well what can I get for you detective?" The attractive redhead, Maggie searched for a name tag but no luck, asked with a smile. "We have a few seasonal lattes you may find appealing, a white chocolate eggnog or maybe the mocha peppermint?" It didn't take a detective trained in interpreting body language and reading people to tell she was being fucked with.

Maggie grimaced. "Um..yeah...no. Coffee. Regular, normal, non-flavored, light cream. Biggest you have."

The woman nodded her acknowledgement and shifted her gaze slightly over Maggie's shoulder. "And for you?"

"Same," Mike answered, coughing slightly to choke back his laugh. "Oh, and two of your cinnamon buns. That's actually why I wanted to come here. I just read your write up in the paper and the reviews were glowing. Getting to annoy Mags was just an added bonus," Mike complimented with a wink.

Maggie rolled her eyes in annoyance. She honestly couldn't take him anywhere without him flirting with anything with a pulse. She hoped for his sake that his soulmate was the understanding type. Maggie told herself that her irritation with her partner had nothing to do with the shy smile, and soft blush that spread across the redhead's face at the praise.

"Coming right up." Maggie watched the lithe figure move with a precision and efficiency that was to be admired. Their order was placed on the counter and Maggie once again found herself staring into the hazel gaze. "That'll be $11 even."

"Oh, he's paying," Maggie said, pointing her thumb over her shoulder to indicate Mike. Mike frowned slightly, but dug his wallet out and handed over his credit card. Maggie slapped him on the shoulder and grabbed her coffee, and the bag of pastries, off the counter. "Thanks partner."

The woman ran the card and handed it back to Mike. With no reason to stay, Maggie still somehow found herself reluctant to leave. Much as she may have liked to linger, even despite the Christmas themed nightmare she currently found herself in, the impatient customer behind her ended the matter.

With one last fleeting look, Maggie turned and left the shop.

* * *

 _Merry Christmas; Merry Christmas  
_ _But I think I'll miss this one this year.  
_ _Merry Christmas; Merry Christmas  
_ _But I think I'll miss this one this year.  
_ _Merry Christmas; Merry Christmas  
_ _But I think I'll miss this one this year.  
_ _Merry Christmas; Merry Christmas  
_ _But I think I'll miss this one this year._

Four o'clock in the morning. Four. Fucking. AM. Woken from a dead sleep only to be assaulted by "Christmas Wrapping". It was her day off. The one day she had to sleep in. She was really starting to hate Christmas. Oh if only she could skip it this year. Her soulmate better be worth all the pain and torture she was putting her through.

So the fact that for the second time in as many days, Maggie found herself in front of Dough See Dough was a total mystery, even to her. Admittedly she had a weakness for sweets, and having sampled more than her share of pastries across the various shops in the city, she knew amazing baked goods when she had them. The cinnamon rolls she had the day before had been, hands down, the best she ever had. As she opened the door to enter the shop, she refused to consider another possibility for her return.

She told herself that the flutter she felt in her stomach when she met a pair of familiar eyes behind the counter was just a hunger pang. She didn't want to get her hopes up, she had done it before, when she had been younger, and less cautious, and she had learned her lessons the hard way. She was just here for caffeine and sugar.

She knew better, and yet she still couldn't stop the wide grin that spread across her face in reaction to the woman behind the counter sending her a smile of greeting. She was happy to see that the shop was vacant.

"Well hello again Detective. A return visit so soon? I admit I didn't think I would see you in here again." Maggie detected what she thought was a hint of regret.

"Trust me, I didn't think I would be subjecting myself to," she spread her arms out to indicate the winter wonderland around them, "this again either. But, and I say this as something of a connoisseur, that was one of the best cinnamon rolls I have ever had. I couldn't resist."

"Well I'm glad all my hard work was worth the effort," the redhead teased.

Maggie tilted her head to one side. "You made them?"

The woman laughed. "Don't sound so surprised."

Maggie flushed lightly, and shook her head. "Sorry. I didn't mean...I guess I didn't picture you as the baking type."

One eyebrow raised in challenge. "And what type did you picture me as Detective?"

"I plead the fifth," Maggie quipped, turning her attention to the pastry case. If she wasn't careful she was going to get herself into trouble. The two of them seemed to fall into flirtatious banter without any conscious effort. Maggie had never had that easy rapport with anyone before. Her heart started to thrum in her chest, considering the possibility.

"So what can I get for you today? Anything look particularly tempting." Maggie flashed her eyes up quickly, only to see that the woman was eyeing the pastries in the case, and not the now flustered detective. Deciding to leave the loaded statement alone for now. Maggie redirected her gaze to the case in front of her.

"Everything looks so good," Maggie groaned, and she wasn't exaggerating. She had come back to the shop intent on getting another cinnamon roll, but now confronted with the full selection, she wasn't sure. "What do you suggest…" Maggie tipped her head to one side. "...I don't know your name."

The woman reached across the top of the case and offered her hand. "Alex. Danvers.".

"Nice to meet you Alex Danvers. I'm Maggie Sawyer." Maggie eyed the offered hand, and paused only a second before grasping it. A tingle shot up her arm. Alex met her gaze, head cocked slightly to one side, a silent question in her eyes. Maggie broke the eye contact and looked once more at the case. "So what does the cook..chef...baker….I'm not sure what the proper term is."

Alex's eyes flared with something akin to disappointment, before she shook her head to clear it, and a soft half smile formed on her lips. "Patisserie, actually."

"Oooh, fancy," Maggie teased, enjoying the soft blush that began to spread up Alex's neck.

Alex shook her head, and waved it off with one hand. "Not really."

"Something tells me that you may be being modest," Maggie insisted. "I do read people for a living."

"Is that what you do? Here I thought it was all kicking down doors and chasing bad guys," Alex retorted.

Maggie smiled brightly, dimple flashing. "I may do a bit of that as well." The detective looked back at the case. "Now, give me a recommendation on what I should get, or I may have to bring you in for obstruction and withholding vital information."

"I'm pretty sure they call that abuse of power Detective," Alex sassed.

Whatever retort Maggie had planned was cut off by the jingle of the shop door signaling the arrival of a customer. Maggie resisted the urge to turn around and shoot them. Barely.

"How about you surprise me, so I can let you get back to work? Oh, and a large coffee," Maggie added.

"Light cream only, right?" Alex confirmed, turning to grab a large to-go cup. Maggie grinned, oddly pleased that Alex had remembered her order.

"Right."

Now that she had a customer waiting, Alex reverted to the quick efficiency that Maggie had admired the day before. She admired it somewhat less today, as it meant the end of her time with Alex. She had enjoyed her interaction with the other woman, and was sad to see it end. With no excuse to stay, and Alex needing to wait on the customer that had just arrived, Maggie was left with little choice but to pay, and leave.

She paused before exiting to glance back at Alex once more before leaving. She found hazel eyes staring back. She gave a quick smile and a wave, and left the shop. Maybe it was her preoccupation with Alex, or the fact that the music in the shop was all Christmas songs, but Maggie never noticed that she hadn't had a song pop into her head unbidden once during her time with Alex.

* * *

Maggie returned to the shop almost every day that week. She told herself that she was returning because she wanted to sample everything on the bakery's menu. And she had made an admirable dent. But even she wasn't buying that the baked goods were the only thing she wanted to sample.

Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your view, her daily visits were typically brief. Unlike that first day, she had not managed to be lucky enough to catch Alex alone again. She dropped a bag containing a donut onto Mike's desk as she went past, and considered her next move.

Mike eyed her suspiciously. "Okay, that is the fourth time this week that you have brought me breakfast. What gives?"

"Do you not want it? I can take it back." Maggie grabbed the bag off her partner's desk, but before she could bring it out of reach he leaned forward in his chair and swiped it back.

"I didn't say that. But you are not usually this nice to me." Which was true. It wasn't that she didn't like and get along with her partner, quite the opposite in fact. It was just that their relationship was built on a mutual, friendly, antagonism. He was like the annoying little brother that she didn't have, and hadn't realized she wanted until she got him.

Maggie shrugged. "You've caught me in a rare good mood."

Mike gave her a pointed look. "Exactly my point. You are never in a good mood."

"I'm not that bad," Maggie protested. Mike laughed. Maggie folded her arms across her chest and glared at her partner. "I'm not!" she insisted.

"Sawyer we have been partners for almost 3 years, and in that time you have brought me breakfast, willingly, about three times. Something is definitely up with you." He sat forward suddenly in his chair. "Oh my god," he practically squealed. Really, if she didn't know better she would think her partner had been replaced by a thirteen-year-old girl. "Did you finally find her? It's the Christmas loving bakery hottie isn't it?"

"Pfft...what? No..of course not.." Maggie shook her head.

Mike eyed her thoughtfully. "Are you sure." Maggie glared.

"Don't you think I would realize something like that?"

Mike shrugged, and bit into one of the donuts that she had brought for him. "Dunno," he mumbled around a mouth full of food. Maggie shuddered in distaste. She really did have nothing but sympathy for his poor soulmate. The woman was going to have the patience of a saint. "I've heard stories about people not knowing, at least not right away."

"Those people were probably Freewillers, and you know that while I don't necessarily object to having a little fun while I wait, that isn't really my thing. Besides, I am a trained detective, how ridiculous would it be if I missed something that big?"

"It was just a thought," Mike defended himself.

Maggie leaned over and patted her partner on the cheek. "Why don't you let me do the thinking," she offered sweetly. "You know we work better when you are just the dumb, pretty, muscle."

Mike swatted her hand away. "Why Maggie I had no idea you found me attractive." He winked at her.

"In your dreams Matthews."

Mike wiggled his eyebrows at her. "Sometimes."

Maggie rolled her eyes. He really could be a pig. "Don't be gross." Maggie glanced at her watch. "Are you almost done, we have that lead we are supposed to track down across town, and the traffic is going to be shit if we wait much longer. You know how much I hate getting stuck in traffic."

Mike balled up the pastry bag and threw it towards the trashcan. Standing from his desk he wiped his hands on his pants. "There's the return of the surly Maggie Sawyer I am so used to."

* * *

Try as she might, Maggie couldn't shake her partner's words. Could she actually have met her one, and somehow been too dense to notice it? She had long since given up on trying to convince herself that she didn't find Alex attractive. Not just physically, but like actually attractive; she couldn't seem to stay away from the auburn haired baker. It was like some force was drawing her back to the cafe day after day.

There was no universal way of knowing you had found your one. Some people claimed that they just _knew_ immediately. That it was a profound and unalterable force, that everyone else around them just ceased to exist. Maggie was definitely attracted to Alex, but she had not felt that kind of overpowering sense of rightness.

Other's claimed that they didn't know until after they had first kissed their soulmate. That it was that initial physical connection that had finally caused everything to snap into place.

Still other's claimed that there was no sudden moment of insight at all. That they had just come to realize over time that they were meant to be.

Maggie growled in annoyance. It was enough to drive a person crazy. Well, assuming said person wasn't already being driven crazy by a never ending stream of Christmas songs. The songs, at obscenely early hours, had persisted all week. Maggie knew they were just lyrics, and they weren't really tied to the actual singing, but she could swear they now felt almost….giddy. Wherever they were, her soulmate was apparently in quite the good mood.

Maggie eyed the door to Dough See Dough with uncertainty. This was probably a terrible idea. The odds that Mike was correct were a long shot at best. The fact that she couldn't seem to shake this attraction to Alex was all the more reason that she should just walk away. Maggie got out of the car.

"Hi, what can I get for you today." A beaming, very attractive blonde in glasses stood behind the counter.

Maggie frowned, before shaking her head and smiling slightly in apology. "Sorry...um...can I get a large coffee, just cream, and one of the cinnamon rolls." Maggie felt deflated. She had spent the better part of the morning working up the courage to finally do this, and it had all been for naught.

"Here is your coffee." The blonde offered Maggie the cup with a smile. "If you can wait like two minutes, there is a fresh batch of rolls coming out of the oven. If not, I can offer you anything else at half price for the inconvenience." Maggie felt her heart kick in her chest.

"Is..ummm...ah..is Alex working today?" Maggie asked. Maybe all wasn't lost after all.

"She is." The blonde rolled her eyes playfully. "Alex works everyday." Her head tilted to one side. "Are you a friend of hers?"

"Kinda? I mean, I have been coming in all week. I have become slightly addicted to her baked goods. She is probably sick of seeing me by now, but do you think she has a second? I needed to ask her something."

The blonde giggled infectiously, and Maggie felt herself smiling in response. "Of course. Any kinda friend of Alex's is a friend of mine." The blonde lifted a section of the counter and motioned Maggie to come behind the counter.

Maggie hesitated briefly before following. "Oh..I thought.." she pointed to her chest, "you want me to go.." she pointed towards the door behind the counter.

The blonde laughed and gave her a wink. "I think you can be trusted." She eyed the badge on her belt. "Officer."

"Detective," Maggie corrected automatically, as she was swamped by a sense of deja vu.

Maggie shook it off, and proceeded through the door. Her face immediately split into a wide grin. Alex was on the far side of the kitchen, bent over at the waist, peering intently through the glass door of a large industrial oven. She had on the cutest little chef's outfit on that Maggie had ever seen. The only flaw with the scene was that the same obnoxious Christmas music that was playing in the front of the cafe, was also piped into the kitchen. Alex as humming along mindlessly to the tune. Maggie sighed, it seemed it was her fate to never escape it.

"You've been holding out on me Danvers." Alex spun around startled, one hand splayed across her chest. "Cute outfit," she teased.

"Maggie, I didn't expect to see you today, and certainly not in my kitchen," Alex greeted her with a warm smile. Maggie felt a now familiar flutter in her chest.

"A bit territorial are we?" Maggie teased with a dimpled grin.

"About some things," Alex conceded. Her brows furrowed slightly. "I'm a little surprised you managed to make it past Kara. She knows how I can be about strangers in my kitchen."

Maggie gasped as if in pain. "And here I thought we were friends."

Alex pursed her lips and sent her a measured look. "Is that what we are?"

"That's actually why I stopped by today," Maggie stated. Alex looked at her in confusion, clearly not following the conversational shift. Maggie had planned to ease into the question, but she had also planned on having a chance to make a little small talk with Alex first. It was kinda late to try to play it casual now.

Maggie started to pace back and forth, a nervous habit she had never quite been able to break. "Here's the thing….I was wondering...and I totally understand if the answer is no...but I have been thinking...and I would really like to...if you are okay with it...possibly get together sometime.."

Alex tipped her head, brow once again furrowed. "Are you….asking me out? Like..on a date?"

Maggie tried to read how Alex felt about the proposition, but couldn't glean anything from her tone. All the detective was getting was a genuine and mild befuddlement.

"I mean..only if you want to...and if you don't that's totally cool too, I absolutely get it. I know that it can be a bit...weird."

Which was putting it rather mildly. Dating with soulmates in the mix was a delicate thing. There were the hardcore romantics who didn't see the point in casually dating. Why bother when you knew from the start that it wasn't going to work out?

Others seemed determined to reject the whole soulmate concept just to prove that they had mastery over their own fate. Then there were those, like Maggie, that accepted they had a soulmate, but didn't see the harm in having some fun while they waited.

It wasn't something that many people liked to talk about, but there was no guarantee that you would eventually meet your soulmate. Some people would wait their whole lives, and die alone, still waiting. Maggie figured it was better to hedge your bets. She had seen people turned into bitter, lonely shells, having spent their whole life waiting for someone that never arrived.

Alex looked surprised, but recovered herself quickly. "No. I mean yeah, no, I would like that." She sent Maggie a crooked grin. "I admittedly don't get out much anymore, what with," she put her arms out to the side to indicate the kitchen, "work and all, but definitely."

Maggie sent her a beaming smile. "Fantastic. When?"

Alex frowned. "That may be a bit tricky. My hours can be a little, non-traditional. I have to be up pretty early to get everything made for the day, so late nights aren't really on my agenda."

Maggie waved off her concern. "You are talking to a cop. I know all about odd hours." Maggie tipped her head. "You play pool?"

* * *

"So is this where you bring all the girls Sawyer?" Alex asked, as she looked around the bar. Maggie bit her lip, maybe this had been a mistake. At the time it had seemed like a good idea, but now she was starting to have her doubts. What had she been thinking bringing Alex to a place like this, and on their first date. She was an idiot.

"We can go," Maggie hurriedly replied. "This was a stupid idea. I don't know what I was thinking. Are there any movies you have been wanting to see?" Maggie rambled, hoping that Alex didn't just change her mind entirely and insist on going home. Really, what idiot brought a woman to a dive bar on a first date.

"Relax," Alex laughed. "I was just kidding. This is fine."

"Are you sure?" Maggie bit her lip. "Because we really can go. I just thought it would be fun to play some pool." Maggie paused. "And they make a mean peach mojito."

"I'm really more of a beer and whiskey girl myself, but good to know."

Maggie smirked. "You just continue to surprise me Danvers."

"Why would that surprise you?"

Maggie shrugged. "I don't know, you just don't seem the type."

"Maybe you just need to get to know me a bit better."

Maggie smiled, eyes twinkling. "I thought that's what I was trying to do."

"Well how about you get to know me over a game of pool? That is why you brought me here after all." Alex eyed the table. "I may be a bit rusty though, I haven't really played since college."

"Don't worry, I'll take it easy on you," Maggie assured her with a smile.

As it turned out taking it easy wasn't an issue.

"Rusty my ass Danvers!" Maggie accused after she had lost the third game in a row.

Alex laughed. "I am. I used to be much better. I have lost some finesse on my finish."

Maggie scoffed. "You are a bloody pool shark!"

"It's not pool sharking if you don't take any money." Alex's eyes danced with mirth. "Just be glad I don't take money from my dates, or you would owe me big."

"You're too kind," Maggie grumbled good naturedly. "Okay we are taking a break. My ego can only take so much abuse. Why don't you go grab a table and I will get us another round."

Drinks in hand, Maggie placed Alex's whiskey on the table, and slid into the chair opposite Alex. She propped her chin onto her hand and stared at Alex intently. Silently studying the other woman.

Alex shifted self consciously under the scrutiny. "What?"

"Just trying to figure some things out."

"Anything I can help with?"

Maggie smiled. "As a matter of fact you can." Maggie took a sip of her drink. "I've tried not to judge, I mean everyone has their own thing, and there is nothing wrong with liking what you like, but I just…." Maggie shook her head. "You seem like an otherwise decent and normal person, so I just can't figure it out."

Alex looked at her, perplexed. "I have...no idea what you are talking about."

Maggie sighed. "The Christmas stuff, Danvers. What is with the decorations, and that music! It was barely the day after Thanksgiving, and I felt like I had walked onto some mall Santa's wet dream. What gives!"

Maggie had decided to throw caution to the wind. She had been trying to keep her hopes in check, but she realized she had failed. She hadn't known it at the time but she must have posed this date as some kind of test, one she desperately needed Alex to pass.

There were different schools of thought when it came to talking about your songs with others, especially with potential romantic partners. A lot of people considered it bad luck to reveal the songs you heard before you found your soulmate. Maggie wasn't sure about that, but she generally refrained from discussing it only because she found it vaguely embarrassing.

She had tried to not get her hopes up, but as the night progressed, they had burst free from their evidently weak restraints. The more time she spent with Alex, the more certain she became. She had never felt this way with anyone, nothing even close. Her feelings, coupled with Alex's Christmas obsession. That had to mean something. It couldn't just be a coincidence.

Alex laughed and shook her head. "Oh no, that's not me. If I had my way we wouldn't do that until a week or so before Christmas, if then." Alex smiled. "It seems you finally got one right Detective, maybe you are starting to get to know me after all."

Maggie should have felt elated at the words, but all she could feel was a sick sort of confusion. She had spent most of the night getting to know Alex better. She knew now that she didn't just work at the cafe, she owned it. She knew that Alex had given up a possible career in law to pursue her passion for baking. Alex had revealed there was something so satisfying about mixing the various ingredients and watching them transform. In knowing how they would react and respond to each other before they were even mixed. That though she approached her baking with an almost scientific precision, it was also almost meditative for her as well.

Maggie desperately sought clarification. "But you own the place, if you aren't a huge fan of Christmas why would you allow it to be decked out like that?"

"Co-own," Alex corrected. Maggie knew that, Alex has mentioned earlier that she owned the place with her sister Kara. The only reason that Maggie had the opportunity to meet Alex at all last week was that she was pulling double duty while Kara had been out of town visiting family. "Kara is the Christmas nut, well, all holidays really, but Christmas is definitely her favorite." Alex shook her head. "She can't even wait. The day after Halloween she insists on dragging everything out of storage and starting with the Christmas music. I have tried to convince her to wait, but she will have none of it." Alex laughed. "She keeps trying to get me to go caroling with her, but singing is, just not my thing. Kara loves it though."

Maggie felt a chill shoot down her spine at the words. Surely the universe could not hate her this much. What kind of twisted force would have her start to really fall for a woman, only to discover that, surprise! Maybe it was actually her sister she was meant to be with. Maggie had met Kara, albeit briefly, and while she was certainly attractive enough, she hadn't felt any sort of attractive for the woman. Nothing made sense.

"Maggie are you okay?" Alex asked concerned. Maggie blinked, not realizing until Alex spoke that she had been totally spaced out.

"Yeah, fine," Maggie croaked, clearing her throat. She needed time to think about this, to figure it out. "Um, I just realized that it's getting a little late, and I know you said you can't really do the late night thing." Maggie mustered up a smile. "I wouldn't want to ruin my chance at a second date by getting you home so late you were a zombie at work."

A look of disappointment flashed across Alex's face, but she nodded her head. "I hadn't even noticed, but you're right. If I am sleep deprived and mess up in the kitchen I would never forgive you," Alex said it teasingly, but Maggie was pretty sure she was at least partially serious.

* * *

 _I just want you for my own  
_ _More than you could ever know  
_ _Make my wish come true  
_ _All I want for Christmas is you_

Maggie didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or scream. She was sure now that the universe had a personal vendetta against her, and she wasn't sure what she had ever done to piss it off so much. As the lyrics rolled around in her head, they almost seemed to be taunting her.

Maggie had always considered herself a firm believer in the sanctity of soulmates. She believed that if if there was some mysterious force, or god, taking the time to find your perfect match, who was she, a mere mortal, to question that? Sure she had dated, but that was more to pass the time than anything else. Besides, she always kinda figured it had to be easier to meet your match if you were out in the world, and not just sitting at home waiting. She had never taken any of her "relationships" seriously, and always knew that she was just marking time.

All of that had been now been thrown into chaos. Unless Alex had straight up lied to her, and she had no reason to, Maggie didn't see how there was any way that she and Alex were fated. The knowledge felt like a ball of ice in her stomach.

She knew better. She goddamned knew better than to get her hopes up. It had never been this bad before. The previous times had been when she was much younger, still in college, and it seemed like people were meeting their matches left and right. She had gotten swept up in the excitement. They had all been false alarms. False positives were probably not that rare with something as common and pervasive as Christmas songs.

So she had learned caution. She had guarded her heart. She had tamped down her hope. She had forgotten all her rules when she met Alex.

As she sat, staring at her phone, she wondered if she had abandoned her beliefs as well.

* * *

Maggie strolled down the sidewalk, never having felt both so happy, and so conflicted, at the same time before. Alex's fingers were entwined warmly with her own, and she caressed the other woman's hand idly with her thumb. She loved Alex's hands. They were warm, and soft, but also strong, probably from years of working dough in the kitchen. Maggie shivered at the thought of those hands working over her body instead.

"You cold?" Alex asked, when she felt Maggie shiver.

"Nope, never better," Maggie reassured Alex. "Just thinking."

Alex sent her a sideways glance. "Should I ask?"

Maggie smirked. "Probably not."

"So what is next on the agenda? I had to beg, threaten and bribe Kara to cover for me in the kitchen, so my expectations are high for this second date. No pressure," Alex teased.

Maggie felt a sudden surge of guilt, and did her best to beat it into submission. She wasn't doing anything wrong, and really, nothing had changed. Alex had agreed to go out with her, and she had never lied to her about anything. Sure she had omitted one or two things, but it wasn't like Alex had been spilling her secrets either.

Just because Alex's sister was super into Christmas, and Maggie's soulmate was obsessed with singing Christmas songs, it didn't necessarily mean anything. It could just be a coincidence. Absent any compelling evidence, Maggie just didn't see any reason to stop seeing Alex. So she kept telling herself she wasn't doing anything wrong. And if the knot in her stomach called her a liar, well it could just shut the hell up. What did it know anyway.

Maggie pulled Alex to a stop, and swung their joined hands back and forth slowly. She looked up at Alex almost nervously. "Well I know you said you liked to look at the stars when you were a kid, and since the light pollution is so bad in the city, you never get a chance to do it anymore."

"You aren't offering to take me on a trip to a secluded stretch of land far outside the city are you? Because that may be more third date material," Alex joked. "Or cause for alarm."

"No, you jerk," Maggie retorted. "I have a friend, who used to be on the force, but now works security at NCU, and he offered to let me into the planetarium." Maggie waited for Alex's reaction, but the other woman was just standing there, for once speechless. "Not a good idea? We can forget it." Maggie shook her head. "It's cheesy, and probably not even remotely the same. Never mind. There's this new club that we..."

Alex placed her finger on Maggie's lips, to silence her ramble. "If you would shut up for a second, I could tell you that I love the idea. Thank you." Alex removed her finger from Maggie's lip, and brushed some of her hair gently behind her ear.

"Yeah?" Maggie queried.

"Yeah," Alex assured her with a nod. Alex gazed at Maggie for a moment, before starting to lean in, her eyes flickering briefly to Maggie's mouth. Before they were able to make contact, a loud voice rang out, causing them to spring apart in surprise.

"I knew it! Sawyer you have been holding out on me!" Maggie slammed her eyes shut in disbelief. You have got to be fucking kidding me. It was official, beyond a shadow of a doubt, she and the universe were mortal enemies. There was just no other explanation for it anymore.

"Matthews," Maggie ground out in greeting between gritted teeth. The last thing she needed to deal with right now was her overly loquacious partner.

Mike clapped Maggie on the shoulder. "Hi I'm Mike, we met last week, I'm sure you remember me."

Alex looked at Mike in mild disbelief. "I can't say that I do."

Mike's face fell slightly. "Oh, well I'm Maggie's partner, so I'm sure we'll be seeing more of each other."

"Mike, we are kinda in the middle of something...so if you could…." Maggie made a shooing motion with her hand.

"Oh, right, right. I'll get out of your hair. I just wanted to say congratulations, and you owe me. I will try not to gloat too much about the fact that I was right." Mike waved a goodbye, and Maggie breathed a sigh of relief. She had been afraid he was going to reveal something she couldn't easily explain away to Alex. "Oh," Mike said, turning back, "can you maybe try to give my girl a break on the Christmas songs? They make her cranky as hell. She likes country, maybe sing some of that?" With another wave, Mike turned and left, leaving one very confused, and one very pissed off woman in his wake.

"So, you ready to head to the planetarium?" Maybe if she just pretended that hadn't happened, Alex would let it go, and just chalk it up to Mike being a weirdo. Maggie started walking down the sidewalk, back to the spot she had parked her car.

"So, we're just….not gonna talk about...whatever the hell that was?" Maggie sighed. No such luck.

Maggie waved her hand in the air. "That was just Mike being Mike. Ignore him. I do. It was nothing."

Alex reached out and grabbed Maggie's hand, pulling her to a stop. "Really? Because it didn't sound like nothing. It sounded a lot like he thought you had found your soulmate, and it also sounded like he thought that person was me. Why would he think that Maggie?"

Maggie felt her heart sink at the question. If Alex has to ask that, she clearly wasn't having the same feelings as Maggie.

"I've just been in a good mood this week, and Mike likes to jump to conclusions. Not really the best trait in a Detective I guess." Maggie forced a laugh. She was still holding out a slim hope that she could distract Alex from this line of inquiry, and they could go on like it had never happened.

"C'mon Maggie, it has to be more than that. I mean….do you think that we….could be?" Alex sounded almost hopeful, rather than incredulous, and Maggie felt her heart lift briefly before reality set back in. She couldn't keep lying to Alex, not even by omission. It wouldn't be fair of her to lead the other woman on, not now.

"I have feelings for you Alex. Strong feelings. I mean..I have never felt this way about anyone before, not even close."

The small, hopeful smile, that had been on Alex's face slowly slipped away. "I sense a but coming," she said softly.

Maggie raked her hand through her hair in frustration. "Part of the reason Mike was so convinced that I found my soulmate is actually that I have been in such a good mood. Since last week. Since meeting you."

"But that's not the only reason." Alex sensed, correctly, that there was more.

Maggie let out a frustrated sigh. "No."

"What's the other reason Maggie?"

"Mike knows my songs, or at least the general theme of them," Maggie revealed.

Confusion flickered across Alex's face. "Okay, that still doesn't tell me why he would jump to that conclusion." Alex sighed in frustration. "Would you just tell me. Please?"

"Mike knows how obsessed with Christmas music my soulmate is, and when he saw your shop, coupled with my good mood, and seeing us just now…..."

"Oh." Alex gathered herself. "Well, I mean it's not like we thought….We were just having fun right?" Alex's voice sounded forced to Maggie's ears, and she thought she saw a sheen covering her dark hazel eyes.

"Right." Maggie shrugged. "This doesn't really change anything does it?" Regardless, she still wanted to keep seeing Alex. So what if they weren't soulmates.

Alex shook her head. "Of course not." She didn't sound convinced. The pair started walking again. "So when you say obsessed…"

Maggie glanced at the Alex sharply. "Are we..Do you...You want to talk about this?" It was the frankly the last thing Maggie wanted to discuss with Alex.

Alex shrugged. "It's out there now."

"If you're sure…"

"Quit stalling Sawyer."

Maggie rolled her eyes. "Fine. When I say obsessed I mean they sing Christmas songs."

Alex looked at Maggie dubiously. "Surely a lot of people are doing that at this time of year."

"It's like, literally, almost the only thing they sing. Do you have any idea how annoying that can be?" Maggie replied, starting to warm to the subject.

Alex smiled wistfully. "I think it must be nice."

Maggie scoffed. "Clearly yours has a more varied taste in music." Maggie felt a stab in her chest at the thought of Alex's faceless soulmate.

"I wouldn't really know."

"What do you mean?"

"Mine doesn't sing. At least not much, or with any regularity." Alex shrugged. "It can get a little lonely. Sometimes it will be so long between songs that I start to wonder if they are even still out there." Maggie could relate to that. She hated singing.

"Well, I'll trade you," Maggie quipped, in an attempt to lighten the mood. "You have no idea what it's like to be woken up at like 4:30 in the morning, to obnoxious Christmas music. As if that wasn't bad enough, they don't always even know the whole song. I once had to sit through two minutes of the ding-dong-ding chorus from Carol of the Bells."

"That does sound pretty bad," Alex conceded with a laugh. "Your aversion to the holiday is beginning to make a bit more sense now."

"It gets worse!" Maggie promised. She would do anything to get Alex to laugh, and if telling her about her Christmas song woes accomplished that, then Maggie would oblige. "They don't even have the decency to wait until a normal time of year. Almost like clockwork, the day after Halloween, it starts."

Alex stopped dead in her tracks. "What did you say?" Maggie ran her statement back. Oh shit.

"Alex…"

Alex held up a hand to forestall any further explanation. "Save it." It was Alex's turned to pace. "You think it could be Kara." Alex glared at her reproachfully.

Maggie shook her head. "I don't," Maggie lied.

"Bullshit!" Alex accused. "That's why you got all weird the other night. I mentioned Kara's Christmas obsession, and you knew then. You knew, and you still asked me out again. What are you playing at Maggie?"

"I'm not playing at anything," Maggie defended herself. And she wasn't. This didn't feel anything like a game to Maggie at all. It felt like the most important thing in her life. "I also don't know anything. I may have….It's possible…" Maggie shook her head. "I'm sure there are more people obsessed with Christmas than just your sister."

"But there's a chance," Alex insisted. Alex smiled bitterly. "Maybe that's why you kept coming back to the shop. You knew it was the right place, you just had the wrong person."

Maggie reached out and grasped Alex's hand, but the other woman jerked it away, as if burned. "That's not why," Maggie insisted, earnestly. "I kept going back because of you. We can figure something out."

Alex shook her head, backing away. "I can't do this Maggie. This was a bad idea."

Maggie reached out. "Alex, don't go," Maggie pleaded. She felt like if she let the other woman go, she may never see her again.

Maggie's request went unheeded, and with a regretful shake of her head, Alex spun away and left Maggie standing alone on the sidewalk.

* * *

Maggie felt like she was going slowly insane. She had thought that the constant Christmas music was bad. How many times had she pleaded for the music to stop, convinced that nothing could be worse than one more chorus of _Jingle Bell Rock_. She had been wrong, so very wrong. Alex was right, the silence was worse.

Not the silence in her head, that she almost welcomed. No. The silence from Alex. She had tried numerous times to contact the other woman over the past week, but all of her advances were ignored. She knew she should probably just leave the poor woman in peace. She had tried to ignore it. All week she had tried, as her mood had continually deteriorated. Even Mike knew something was seriously wrong, and had refrained from teasing her. But she couldn't. The pull, the urge to seek out Alex, seemed to have only intensified.

The bell above the door chimed as she entered the shop. The scents of cinnamon and warm bread washed over her, and she felt like she was home. They reminded her of Alex. Kara, who had been singing along happily to the Christmas music, stopped at her arrival.

Maggie blinked. She hadn't heard anything prior to walking into the shop. A relief so profound it almost brought her to her knees swamped her.

"Detective, it's good to see you again" Kara greeted her warmly. Maggie was confused. She was sure that Alex would have told her sister everything, but if the blonde's welcome was anything to go by, she clearly hadn't. Maggie had been half expecting to be thrown out of the shop.

"Hey, is um…" Maggie scratched at her jaw nervously. "..is Alex here?"

Kara pulled a face. "She is, but she is in a bit of a mood," Kara warned. "She has been in funk all week. I've tried to get her to talk to me about it, but she refuses." Kara pouted. "I hate seeing her so upset, I just want her to feel better. Christmas is only a little over a week away, and no one should be unhappy at Christmas."

Maggie waved towards the kitchen. "Do you mind if I give it a try? Maybe I can help." Kara's face brightened, and Maggie almost felt badly. Almost. She needed to see Alex, even though she was sure that her presence would not be welcome. If that meant she had to lie to her sister in order to gain entry, then so be it.

"I should warn you she can be a bit of a bear when she is in a bad mood. I hope you are wearing your vest," Kara joked as she lifted the counter.

"I'm off duty, so no, but I'm sure I'll be fine." Maggie wasn't sure of anything of the sort, but she did know that a bulletproof vest wouldn't help her in this situation. No amount of Kevlar could protect her heart from Alex's rejection.

Maggie stepped into the kitchen, and drank in the sight before her. Alex was once again back to the door, so Maggie was given the opportunity to observe her unnoticed. Maggie frowned. Alex's usual grace and ease of movement seemed to have abandoned her. She was methodically working a ball of dough on the counter, but her motion seemed flat, detached, and mechanical.

Maggie felt like she could have stood there for an eternity, but her time ran out when she saw Alex suddenly freeze. She stood, motionless, for a moment, before slowly turning. Maggie had never seen those hazel eyes so emotionless and dull.

"Hey," Maggie greeted, with an uncertain smile.

Alex shook her head. "You shouldn't be here Maggie."

"I tried, Alex, I really did, but I couldn't stay away." Which was nothing but the truth.

"Well you need to try harder. This," she motioned back and forth between them, "can't happen."

"Do you honestly not feel anything?" Maggie implored. She gazed at Alex intently. She refused to believe that she was alone in this. The intensity of emotion was just too strong for it to be one sided.

Alex's eyes skittered away. "It doesn't matter what I feel," Alex insisted.

Maggie felt a flare of hope bloom in her chest. She moved forward, but halted when Alex backed away from her advance. She stopped, the kitchen's large work island between them. "You do feel something."

"I don't….It can't….Nothing can happen."

"Why not?"

"Why not?" Alex erupted. "Gee Maggie, I don't know. Let me think. Maybe the fact that you are destined to be with someone else. Quite possibly my sister. Yeah, I can't think why us having a relationship would be a bad idea."

"Why didn't you tell her," Maggie asked, shifting the topic. She knew she could just tell Alex that she knew that Kara wasn't her soulmate, but she was desperate to know why Alex hadn't told he sister. She needed to know she wasn't alone in this.

Alex looked at her in confusion. "What was I supposed to tell her Maggie? 'Oh hey Kara, yeah your soulmate, I think I may have met her. Also, we went on a date, almost kissed, and I can't stop thinking about her. Added bonus, she knows about you, and instead of seeking you out, she keeps trying to convince me hook up with her. Congratulations!"

"Hey," Maggie cut in sharply, "that is not what I am trying to do here. Don't turn this into some….This isn't about just sex to me Alex."

Alex threw up her hands, pacing a angry path back and forth. "What else can it be? We are meant to be with other people, Maggie. This is pointless."

"I don't believe that," Maggie insisted.

Alex laughed bitterly. "It's not about belief. It's about facts. We aren't soulmates. This can't last."

"That doesn't have to be the case. People make it work."

Alex physically recoiled from the statement, shaking her head. "I don't...That's not...I refuse to destroy four lives."

"Who say's it would be destroying anything."

"Me. I believe in soulmates Maggie. Some...thing..some...power...pairs us with our match. The one person that completes us. That means something. That is not something I am willing to mess with. It's wrong. I could never rob Kara of that."

"It's not Kara," Maggie finally revealed. Maybe if Alex realized that this wouldn't affect her sister, she would be willing to give it a try. Maggie was getting desperate.

Alex's froze. "How can you know that?"

"Kara was singing along to some cheesy Christmas song when I walked into the store. I haven't had a song pop into my head in over a week. Not since you walked away. That has to mean something Alex."

A flurry of emotions raced through Alex's eyes. Confusion. Realization. Hope. Resignation. "It doesn't matter," she concluded.

Maggie stepped forward, finally grasping Alex's hand. "Of course it matters. This matter's Alex." Alex tried to pull her hand away, but Maggie held firm, holding Alex's hand to her chest with her own. "Tell me you don't feel this." Alex couldn't. "Why should we walk away from this?"

"It's wrong," Alex insisted feebly, her head dropping towards her chest.

Maggie reached out with her other hand, and tipped Alex's face up, demanding eye contact. "It doesn't feel wrong," she insisted. "It feels like the most incredible thing in the world. It feels right."

"Maggie, please," Alex pleaded, her voice cracking.

Maggie ran her thumb along Alex's jaw. "I don't care Alex. I know what I feel for you, and I don't care. I refuse to walk away from this, for some hypothetical." Maggie stared intently into glassy hazel eyes. "Tell me you don't want this. Tell me you don't feel this. Tell me to go, and I will."

"I can't," Alex confessed.

"It will be okay. I promise."

Unable to wait any longer, Maggie closed the distance and claimed Alex's lips in a gentle kiss.

Heat raced through Maggie's veins, and she moaned, deepening the kiss immediately. Alex met her step for step, welcoming her with no hesitation. Alex's hand, which Maggie still had pinned to her chest, clutched at her desperately, trying to pull her closer.

Maggie was only too happy to oblige, stepping forward to remove any remaining space between them. She released Alex's hand, which once freed, slid up her chest, and across her shoulder, to cup the back of Maggie's head, holding her in place. Maggie smiled into the kiss, she had no intention of going anywhere. She ran her tongue lightly across Alex's bottom lip, seeking, asking.

It felt like fire. It felt like flying. It felt like being buffeted by a tidal wave. It was passion. It was serenity. It was home.

Maggie was content to stay like this forever, but when she felt a tear splash against her cheek, she pulled back reluctantly. She looked into Alex's tear filled eyes, still cupping her face.

"Are you okay?" Maggie felt dread twist in her stomach like a knife. Surely Alex had felt that.

Alex shook her head softly, another tear spilling free. "I don't understand."

"What don't you understand," Maggie asked quietly. It felt like her whole life hung in the balance. She supposed in a way it did. If Alex walked away from her now, she was sure she wouldn't survive it.

"We're not...But it...I've never…" Alex shook her head again. "I felt….It was…"

Maggie let her eyes flutter closed in relief. Alex felt the same. It didn't make any sense, but she wasn't in this alone. Maggie opened her eyes, and smiled at Alex reassuringly.

"I know." It was all Maggie said, and it was all she needed to express her understanding. Alex was struggling with words to describe it, because it was something beyond description. They had been right when they said you would just _know._ Because that's what it was. It was an indescribable, bone deep, irrefutable, knowledge that she was finally whole.

"But how?" Alex asked shakily, still trying to make sense of the incomprehensible.

Maggie smiled warmly, dimples creasing her cheeks. "I don't know. And I don't care." She leaned forward and captured Alex's lips once again. Alex hummed happily. Maggie pulled back, ever so slightly. "I'm not going to let some stupid songs tell me that you weren't meant for me. I know you're mine Alex, I can _feel_ it."

Alex let out a shuddering breath. "I can too." Maggie felt a rush of relief at the words. She knew, she was sure, but still, hearing Alex confirm it, was a balm she hadn't realized she needed.

"Oh my god. Oh my god. OH MY GOD," Kara squealed excitedly from the doorway. "I can't believe it!" Kara rushed over and engulfed Maggie and her sister in a bone crushing hug, hopping up and down excitedly. "I am so happy for you! This is so exciting. We have to call Mom!" Kara spun away. "Oh, we can have a party! Are you guys going to wait,or are you going to have a bonding immediately?"

The rapid fire barrage of questions left Maggie reeling slightly, but Alex seemed to take it in stride. "Kara you need to calm down. You are scaring Maggie." Alex pulled away to pin her sister's flailing arms to her sides. Maggie felt the loss of contact immediately, and barely resisted the urge to pout.

"I'm just so...eeeeee...this is so…" Kara wrapped her sister in another hug. "I'm just so happy for you." Kara spun away from her sister, still chattering excitedly. "Tell me everything! When did you know? What was the song? Are you guys going to sing that one at the bonding, or are you going to pick a different one? I mean I know it's _tradition_ to sing the song that revealed your soulmate to you, but some of them are just," Kara wrinkled her face in disgust. "I just hope that my song isn't something embarrassing like Winn's. I still can't believe he sang _I Wanna Sex You Up_ in front of all those people."

Alex darted her eyes away. "It's uh...it's a little complicated."

Kara looked positively gleeful. "Ooooh it's really bad isn't it. You have to tell me."

Alex shook her head. "It's not that, it's….there's no song," Alex confessed.

Kara frowned, confused. "How can there be no song? Alex there's always a song." Kara punched her sister playfully in the shoulder. "C'mon, don't be embarrassed, I'm sure it can't be _that_ bad, just tell me."

"There's nothing to tell Kara," Alex snapped, pulling away.

Kara met Maggie's gaze in confusion, silently asking her to explain. Maggie ignored her for the moment, and instead went to Alex. "Hey," she said softly, dipping her head to catch Alex's gaze, and resting a hand comfortingly on her shoulder. "You okay?"

Alex met Maggie's eyes reluctantly, clearly embarrassed by her outburst. Alex shrugged her shoulders. "I just..what are we supposed to tell people? You know everyone is going to ask these questions."

"We don't have to tell them anything. It's none of their business," Maggie insisted stubbornly.

Alex laughed humorlessly. "Right, that won't be at all odd."

"Um...could someone please tell me what is going on? This is supposed to be a happy time, but...you two don't seem that happy," Kara interrupted.

Maggie looked from Alex, to her sister, and back to Alex, silently asking permission. Alex nodded her head.

"Alex and I are soulmates," Maggie insisted. "I'm sure of that. I can feel that," Maggie placed a hand on her chest, "here. I have no doubt about that. None." The words were as much for Kara, as they were for Alex.

"Okay…." Kara trailed off.

"But, I've been hearing Christmas songs. Like..all the time. Constantly."

"And?" Kara coaxed, clearly still not getting it.

Maggie frowned. "And Alex doesn't like them, and told me she doesn't really sing."

Kara laughed, clearly relieved. "Is that what has you upset?" she asked her sister. Alex nodded silently. "Alex, you sing, like, all the time." Kara tipped her head. "Admittedly not very, _well_ , but still…."

"No I don't," Alex replied, clearly confused.

"Um, yeah you do," Kara insisted.

"Kara, I think I would know if I sing or not."

"Well you would think, but clearly you don't." Kara looked at her sister curiously. "Do you honestly not know that you sing when you are working in the kitchen?"

"I do?" Alex asked. Maggie could tell she was genuinely surprised by this information.

"Uh, yeah." Kara nodded her head. "Like..all the time."

"But I don't…" Alex looked puzzled.

"What time do you do your prep?" Maggie finally broke her silence. She knew that Alex was hers, she hadn't just been reassuring the other woman when she said that. So she really didn't care one way or the other about whether or not Alex actually sang or not. She wasn't letting Alex go. Ever.

But even though Alex had said she felt the same, Maggie knew that the inconsistency was still bothering the other woman.

"Like...four in the morning." Alex replied.

Maggie laughed. "Son of a bitch. Well that explains why I'm always getting woken up at that ungodly hour then. We're going to have to work on that babe."

Alex still looked confused. She wanted to believe, but she still had a hard time believing. "I really sing when I bake?" Any teasing remark Kara had planned died on her lips when she heard the vulnerability in her sister's voice.

She reached over and clasped Alex's hand. "I promise. You get into your little Alex zone, and tune everything out, but you will kinda sing along, mostly to the chorus."

Alex looked at Maggie apologetically. "I'm sorry...I didn't realize…" Alex trailed off.

Maggie smiled, and draped her arm around Alex's shoulder, pulling her in tight to her side, and leaning over to kiss her on the cheek. "You don't have anything to apologize for." Maggie directed her attention to Kara. "But me and you are going to have to have a talk. This Christmas music in November, it has to stop."

"It's festive," Kara insisted.

"It's ridiculous," Maggie insisted. "December 1st."

Kara stared at her, eyes narrowed. "Second week of November."

"December 1st." Maggie held firm. She only had onc shot at this.

"Day after Thanksgiving," Kara bargained. "And I'll cover the kitchen for Alex once a month."

"Deal," Maggie agreed quickly.

* * *

 _Here we come a-wassailing  
_ _Among the leaves so green,  
_ _Here we come a wand'ring,  
_ _So fair to be seen._

Maggie's eyes popped open with a groan. She fumbled for her phone, and squinted when the display showed the time. 5:30 AM. Improvement, but still ridiculous. With an unhappy grunt she pushed herself out of bed.

Stumbling down the hallway, she made her way to the kitchen, still half asleep.

"We talked about this Alex," she complained grumpily as she approached her tormentor. She wrapped her arms snugly around her waist, and burrowed her face into the taller woman's back.

"I know," Alex said contritely. "But I've been up since four, and I got lonely. I wanted you to keep me company. I'm sorry."

"You don't sound sorry." Maggie drew her face away from Alex's back, and stretched up slightly so she could kiss her ear softly. "There are also far more...enjoyable ways to wake me up."

Alex turned her head, her food preparation momentarily forgotten, and captured Maggie's lips in a lingering kiss. "While tempting, we both know that if I do that, people are going to be left eating stale crackers and beer when they get here."

Maggie shrugged. "They'll live." She kissed her way down Alex's neck.

"Maggie," Alex said warningly. Maggie sighed and pulled back. Alex was looking at her apologetically. "My Mom is coming to meet you, and I just want everything to be perfect."

Maggie leaned up and kissed Alex quickly on the lips. "It's fine." She pulled away and surveyed the kitchen. "Now, what can I help you with. Though, I warn you now, I am not exactly known for my skills in the kitchen."

"Thank you Maggie," Alex said sincerely. "I know that getting up at the crack of dawn isn't really your favorite thing."

"Hey, what are soulmates for right?" Maggie joked. Really though, she would do anything for the woman standing beside her, and if Alex wanted her to get up at 5:30 in the morning to prepare food for a meal that wasn't happening for another twelve hours, then she would damn well do it. She wouldn't be happy about it, but she would do it. That was love.

"Hey Alex?"

"Yeah, baby?"

"What in the hell is wassail?"


End file.
